Calvin Synod Herald, 2000 (101. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2000-07-01 / 7-8. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD A Short History of the Reformed Church in Hungary (Continued from, our previous issue) From this repentance was concluded that silencing criticism was the supreme virtue, and the new social order had to be accepted the best one possible. From the state’s angle, it was desirable that the Church withdraw within the boundaries of her buildings; to step forward was permissible and possible only if summoned. By means of the dissolution of associations, those manifestations of church life which were based on small communities were declared to be undesirable. The general well being of the Church was impaired by the suppression of the organizations, and she was unable to provide an opportunity for integrating all the slumbering forces in the nation. Thus the revival movement was simply declared to be illegal, instead of entering into a proper dialogue with the dignitaries of the Church. Dialogue was in fact not suited to the practice of Church government. These distorted circumstances had the logical consequence that Church members were distrustful of their leaders. The change in society as a consequence of the official state policy of the breaking up of the traditional forms rural life also contributed to a considerable extent to the change in the image of the Church. The churches were unable to give a proper response to the challenges of their secularized surroundings. The relegation of the laity to the peripheries of the Church (and their marginalization there), the general aversion to church and religion, the prejudice against those who had faith; all these contributed to the regrettably low level of church life. Generations were born and brought up without any ecclesiastical background; church attendance was far from being characteristic of progressive socialist men and women. As the Communist ideology had practically no ethical teachings, the whole of Hungarian society sank below the level of European humanity, and the nation became a disillusioned people of an unsuccessful socialist experiment. It was a people whose national identity had been dissolved in a proletarian internationalism, whose heads had been filled with the hackneyed phrase of a “sinful nation” because of its participation in a lost war, a people whose faith in God was being extinguished by atheism. And all this was further aggravated by the cynicism of the Party politicians, who proclaimed that the socialist society was the best possible; at least better than that of the previous generation or that of the western world. In such circumstances the Church has, pragmatically, a great many things to accomplish. She has to convince men of God’s truth, to preach the words of Scripture, to comfort the people just as the prophets did, to succor society’s rejected people; to rejoice with those that rejoice, and to weep with those that weep. In spite of all her weakness, her disappointments and fears, by God’s grace the Church has always had members who had faith, who continued the tradition of the Reformers and preached the Word, both in and out of season. The Lord of the Church has not ceased to bestow His Spirit either upon those who worship Him, or on the Reformed Church in Hungary. He has rather fed the oppressed Church in a wonderful way. Thousands of faithful Church members, presbyters, and ministers kept the faith and passed it on as far as they could to the next generation. The Church, increasingly discovering herself, began again to provide for her instruments: churches and diaconal institutions have been built. From the 1960’s onwards, Church functions have developed, the publication of theological and edifying books has increased, and a new Hungarian translation of the Bible has been prepared and has prompted hitherto unseen demand. Promising signs for the future. The Church during the Change of Regime From 1989 onwards, political change has been irresistible across the eastern bloc. Hungary, as it were, in a presentiment of the fall of the Soviet regime, was the first to open its frontiers towards the west. Thousands of so-called East Germans crossed the border to Austria at Hegyeshalom in Hungary. Before long, the Berlin Wall was pulled down. The nations of eastern Europe and their churches were freed from Communist oppression and isolation. The circumstances of church life have undergone dramatic changes. The State office for Church Affairs, the oppressive organ of the quondam state Party, has been closed. By 1990, Act IV on freedom of conscience and religion, as well as on the churches, had been passed. Paragraph 1 of this Act states that “Freedom of conscience and religion is a basic human right due to everybody, the undisturbed practice of which is guaranteed by the Hungarian Republic”. Our Church: The Reformed Church in Hungary: A Short History of the Reformed Church in Hungary. Budapest, 1997. Hungarian Reformed Celebrate (Continued from page ]*) cal pastors also opened doors and our delegates preached or spoke in such places as Záhony, Gyürke and Komárom, in Hungarian, Slovak and English. It was an exciting day in Komárom where the Chorus sang in the evening service, recalling the days of their trip to America, and with open arms welcomed us into their homes and to meet their own families. The day concluded with a special banquet where their gratitude for all the hospitality they received during their American tour was heaped on just the three Calvin Synod delegates present - Bishop Vitéz, Aux. Bishop Póznán and Rev. Kovács. The amazing renewal of church life, after forty years of Russian oppression, was tremendously inspiring, as the seeds of faithfulness to Gospel and creeds, confessions and heritage blossom anew into vigorous life throughout greater Hungary. ana
